Victubia: Civil War
by TheGreatColossus
Summary: A country is divided by the flames of a rebellion, and Victubia descends into war.
1. Flint and Tinder

_The first chapter of Victubia: Civil War! Enjoy!_

It was mid-afternoon, and the sun was shining brightly over the Capital. People went about their daily business, buying and selling, working and planning, teaching and learning. New laws were proposed, and justice was served in the courts. In the castle, an accountant puzzled over the Queens' treasury papers.

"Some of these don't seem right at all," the spectacled man whispered to himself. _There are discrepancies everywhere! The tax returns from some of the small towns, and even a few of the cities... There's less there than there should be..._ "Timothy, can you come and take a look at these? I feel like my calculations are off."

A small, tousle-haired boy jumped off a stool in the corner of the office and dashed over. His eyes scanned the papers, adding, subtracting, totaling. "Sir, there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with your work... There's just missing money." He trailed off in puzzlement.

The accountant grimaced. _And quite a lot of it as well..._ "Go alert the Queens, will you?"

Elsewhere in the Capital, a cart pulled up to the back of a bank, carrying a large palette with a olive-green tarp over it. Four figures wearing wide brimmed hats disembarked, entered through a side door, opened for them by a teller who wouldn't meet their eyes.

The man was sweating, his formal clothes being ruined by whatever stress he was under. When the palette-bearers returned, the teller closed the door as quick as a shot, and the cart drove away, going who knew where.

Inside a vault with a royal sigil, a wooden palette rested, sagging slightly under the weight of gold.

==O==

Beneath one of the backstreets of Orkan, an offshoot of the city's poisonous black market does business. In a tunnel, a cloaked woman and two bodyguards meet with a young man wearing a white mask.

"Of course you understand my need for anonymity. I doubt your real name is... Mira, I think you said? I'm still happy to do business, the merchandise will be loaded as soon as payment is given in full."

A cold voice, commanding and strong, echoed off the damp walls. "Your price has been raised."

The young man shrugged, "Competitors are stepping up their game. So must I."

"I would prefer a lower expense." The bodyguards tensed up, ready to leap into action at the first sight of trouble.

"Money seems of no object to you, however. I must insist."

Mira calmly pulled out a pistol and fired three shots. Abdomen, chest, head. The mask didn't even crack, and the man crumpled to the floor before the echoes subsided. The merchandise, a cage, is loaded into the back of a covered transport, and the coach set off for the Capital.

==O==

At a dock in Udde, a man waits next to a coach with the Minx Family crest. A voice whispers from the darkness in a language the courier doesn't recognize, but he recognizes that universal sign of beckoning as a red gloved hand extends from the shadows. The courier glances around, passes off an envelope, and takes a sack of jingling metal in return. As he boards the coach, his head snaps back and glares at the shadows.

"Don't involve me. I just want to feed my family, and get out of this country. I don't know what you'll do with that, but I want no part of it."

A knife lances out of the darkness and sticks in the wood next to the courier's head. The man flinches, but pulls the vibrating blade from the wall, and whips it back into the shadows. A grunt of pain sounds, and the patter of liquid drops hitting the ground, but nothing more. _I won't let him silence me, not when I'm so close._

He jumps to the reins, and the clatter of hooves pierces the evening as the coach careens away. The figure in the shadows steps into the lamplight, and her pained expression was evident. The knife is still stuck in the woman's leg, so she crawls away, the royal sigil on her cloak very apparent.

"I'll be taking this now, thank you." Mira's cold smile flashes in the moonlight, all teeth and no kindness.

She bends down, pulls the knife out of the agent's leg, and calmly slits the woman's throat all in one movement. A slender hand grabs the folder and tucks it into a brown satchel. Mira walks back into the shadows, the knife leaving a trail of crimson spots behind her.

 _Three days later._

Gabbi and the MODs rattled along the streets in the Mayor's private carriage. Since there was only one carriage available that day, and only room for three on each bench, Panda lay down in the middle and slept, (everyone was secretly glad for the free footrest) while Raz stood on the roof, directing traffic around them. At some point during the ride, Arc got motion sickness and climbed up above, anchoring herself to the roof by sticking her swords through slots in the roof, and causing the MODs inside to briefly panic from the experience of swords coming through the ceiling. The horses cantered to a halt in front of the castle gate, and the MODs formed up behind their boss, and headed inside.

The Queens had prepared tea in a drawing room. The Mayor went in, while the MODs elected to stay outside and explore the Castle yet again, their favorite pastime during these meetings. Asa turned down a hallway and nearly collided with a tall, thin man carrying a stack of papers. Behind him, a boy struggled under an even larger stack.

"What are these papers for?" Asa asked, then realized the only thing in the direction they were heading was the Queens' meeting.

"There have been..." The man paused for a moment to groan under the weight of the papers, "Discrepancies in the Queens' finances. We were ordered to collect, _hnnngh,_ all the reports and bring them to their Majesties." The boy seemed to be having even more trouble, so Asa walked over and took half of his stack, while talking over her shoulder.

"Mind if I take a look at some of these?" Before waiting for a reply, she scanned the papers and immediately realized what the accountants hadn't. _They've been embezzling the taxes!_ _I must tell Gabbi immediately... Of course we have to confirm it, but Raz could just check the Royal Vault. Where is he?_

The MOD in question was visiting the dungeons, because who doesn't love a good dungeon? At the moment though, he had just found a very poorly disguised false wall. A quick punch from a shadowy fist, and the shoddily constructed mortar fell away, revealing a horrible sight beyond.

A cage full of people sat in the dark center of the room. They wore nothing, and all looked like they had been starved for months. Brands and scars of other terrible tortures showed all over their bodies. Raz could also see a workbench in the back, with tools on it. He could tell which ones had been used recently by the dried blood still on their tips.

His mind contracted into a single point of rage. The cage door was ripped off it's hinges and flung against the far wall. Raz dashed over, pushing people into the shadows, sending them straight to the hospital. When the cage was empty, he crushed almost every instrument of torture, saving a few for evidence, and then stalked out of the room, carrying a brand in the shape of the royal sigil. _Their majesties will die for this._

When the Mayor exited the meeting, she found her MODs smoldering like an active volcano. Raz teleported them back to the carriage, and Asa explained what she had found. Raz spoke through clenched teeth about the horror in the dungeon, and Arc chipped in, remembering a conversation she had had with a royal spy handler who had lost her agent, along with valuable national secrets. What it all painted was a grim picture.

Gabbi sat in her office, head in her hands. Her head jerked upright, blue eyes cold with fury. _This is the only way to stop this. We will have to rebel against their Majesties, no, those_ bitches, _and make them pay._

"We move tonight. An uprising will be sparked."

And so the flint lights the tinder.

 _What did you think? More to come, and longer chapters too. This was simply short for reasons of buildup, and not revealing too much. Hope you enjoyed! If you did, I'd love to hear a review!_


	2. The Spark Ignites

_Hope you guys liked the last chapter! Stuff will begin picking up from here, and I hope you'll stay for the ride! Enjoy!_

"And is it all ready?"

"Yes, milady. The gold is in the vaults, and the Castle will be burning the midnight oil tonight. Now, to discuss the other matters? If you would follow me..."

The voices faded as they moved further from the door. The woman with her ear pressed desperately against the door strained to hear more of the conversation, but there was nothing but muffled noise. She abruptly jerked away, leaving a few strands of brown hair caught on the splinters of the door. She ignored the pricks of pain, instead focusing on calming herself. _What do I do now?_

Her hand twitched towards the handle of the sabre at her hip, but there was nothing to fight. Nothing but the empty hall, and the door at the end. She took a breath and began a swift walk towards the door. "Miss Tannis! You going somewhere?"

One of the guards was loping down the hall, armor clanking. She couldn't see his face, but she didn't have to. _Ugh, Feron again? When will he learn to just shut his mouth..._ She wheeled, hand dropping to the pommel of her blade.

"Yes, in fact I am. I think my work for the night is done, and I would like to get some rest."

"Aw, come on! You sure you don't want to go out for drinks?" The man was likely already a little tipsy. She had caught him swigging from a hip flask more than once.

"In your company, no." She replied coolly, turning her back.

"Why you gotta be like that?" He took a few more steps forward. The smell of spirits was heavy in the air.

In a blur of silver, the sabre was drawn, and the tip rested on the collar of Feron's breastplate. _This should be explanation enough._ She didn't turn around, but instead clenched a hand at her side. The creaking of metal signified the man's breastplate constricting, warping out of shape. He gasped for air, knees weakening. The sabre point was withdrawn, and he crumpled, clawing at buckles and straps.

"Good night."

Royal Spymaster Kaitlin Tannis stepped out into the night, and unwittingly, into a civil war.

==O==

Gabbi's office had become a war room. Maps of the Castle and it's surroundings were pulled out of archives, and the police forces were called in. Weapons were gathered, and the HQ became a bustling hive of activity. In the lobby, Gerard Sadik, Chief of Police, surveyed the men and women who had been assigned to raid the Castle, along with the MODs.

"You all have already heard the stories about what was discovered in the Castle, and you know what is going to happen. This is technically against the law of the land, but Gabbi has declared martial law, since the Queens have been deemed unfit." At this, a constable raised his hand.

"Sir, how should we go about this?"

"We have no idea how many people in the Castle are currently involved, but anyone who stands in your way, you have the authorization to use _non_ -lethal force. If they fight... Well, you all should know what happens next." He smiled grimly. "We move within the hour."

The Chief of the Police dismissed his men and walked towards the makeshift armory. He picked up a knife, in addition to the revolver already holstered at his belt. Others were in there as well, all preparing for various tasks related to a rebellion. Some would be searching for further crimes committed by the Queens, and some would be subduing garrisons full of army soldiers. It promised to be a chaotic night, but hopefully one that would swing in Gabbi's favor. Across the city, candlelight flickered in windows. It was a warm light, unaware of the rebels holding their breath.

==O==

The first group slipped in by the front gate, escorted through the shadows by Raz. The helmeted MOD was in his element, bringing squads of police directly into watchtowers and key gatehouses, and then disappearing before anyone knew he was there. The clash of blades and the screams of combatants echoed through the courtyards of the Castle, and the MODs stalked the halls.

Arc held her swords at her sides as her squad of policemen checked side rooms. The masked MOD flipped the blades in circles as she impatiently waited for the grunts to finish. _Where's the fight? Where are the Guards?_ When one of the policemen went down with an arrow to the throat, Arc only had half a second to react before the other arrow appeared in her vision, aimed at a policewoman who had just come out of a side passage.

The black blades leapt upwards, cutting towards the arrow and slicing it cleanly in two. The pieces fell to the floor, clattering as they landed. _They must be at the end of the hall!_

"Get out of the center! MOVE!"

There were long rows of columns, plenty of cover to hide behind, so the remaining forces under the MOD's command took up positions behind the pillars, firing blindly down the passage. Arc herself simply ran ahead, sprinting towards what she hoped were surprised enemies. As she ran, the blades behind her began to sparkle with the weird light of electricity. The MOD could just barely make out armored figures at the end of the hall, crossbows being frantically reloaded. _Easy._

The MOD planted her heels and slid to a halt, bringing her swords over her head as she did so. The discharge was incredible. Huge fingers of lightning splayed off of a central writhing ball of electricity, throwing eerie shadows on the walls. The Royal Guards at the end of the hall were shocked, and only one tried to flee, before being shocked again by the massive ball lightning Arc had just unleashed into their midst.

"Hmph. Could've been bigger."

The MOD stalked to the end of the hallway. _Seems like that did the trick..._ The slither of steel behind her alerted her to a half-hearted stab from a fallen Guard. A strike from the pommel put him down. _I wonder how the others are doing..._

==O==

The creak of the bowstring, the whistle of the arrow as it flew, and the thud of an impact into flesh. Mishy nocked another arrow, sighted down the hall, and let it fly. A trail of electricity followed it, and upon impact, a crackling web of lightning spread over the guards at the end of the hall. The other forces under the MODs command made quick work of them, incapacitating them and tying them up. A knife whizzed past Mishy's ear, and she spun to see a contingent of Royal Army at the end of the hall. She drew quickly, firing at the lead soldier while leaping towards cover, not even glancing to see if it hit. _I know it did._

"Come out and we'll _guh!_ " The man's sentence terminated in a loss of his air as a kick planted itself in his solar plexus.

Mishy peeked around the corner to see a whirlwind of fists and feet as Jo launched enemies in all directions. Mishy didn't fire, partially for fear of hitting her comrade, but also because Jo was easily making quick work of the battalion. In a few moments, groaning piles of armor were what was left of the Royal Army's castle detachment.

Mishy stepped out from behind the corner to greet her friend. "Hey Jo! Thanks for the help there."

"No problem! Do you find it odd that we haven't fought any magi yet?"

"You're going to jinx it! But yeah, it does seem kind of strange." A rumbling under the MODs' feet alerted them to the attack a moment before a fissure ran the length of the hall, the floor collapsing from under them.

As she fell, Mishy grasped the sheaf of arrows in her quiver, grasping for the one she knew would provide salvation. She nocked and fired blindly, and for a moment, the cable didn't unravel and she thought she had grabbed the wrong arrow. Then the familiar _whish_ of a rope unspooling reached her ears, and she held the tether with all her might, waiting for the slack to drop. When it did, the MOD gracefully swung to untouched ground, and looked down to her friend still trapped below.

Jo was engaged in combat with an Earth Magi wearing light armor, the helmet obscuring her opponent's face. Her punches and kicks staggered her opponent, but the armor seemed to absorb most of the impact.

"Mishy! Little help here?"

Mishy pushed her glasses up her nose, sighted along an arrow, and fired at the exposed back of Jo's assailant. The earth magi fell noiselessly, the electricity delivered straight to his spinal column.

"Where are the Queens?"

==O==

In their bedroom, the Queens slept peacefully, until a guard crashed through the door, smashing it to pieces with a small mace. Minx rolled off the bed, leaped to her feet, drawing the sword by the bed immediately, before realizing that it was friend, not foe, who had interrupted her slumber.

"What's happening? Why are you injured?"

"Your Majesty, rouse your wife. We must leave immediately, the Castle is under attack!"

In a moment, Krism was awake, rubbing sleep from her eyes as Minx gathered a few personal effects and important items. The guard hopped from foot to foot, interjecting with whispers that they had to move _now_. As a final note, Minx put on her royal cape, the purple fabric rippling as she clasped it about her neck. The party grew to six as three guards and a servant joined them in the hall, and they moved swiftly and silently towards the courtyard.

"Your Majesties? What are we going to do? They're taking the Castle, and if they catch you, I don't know what they'll do!"

Minx's expression was grim. _I can't be weak here, this is where they most need me._ "For now, we get out somehow. We regroup, find allies, and figure out who is behind this. All I require from you is your loyalty, and I guarantee we'll get through this."

One of the guards, a lieutenant, snapped off a salute. "We will not fail you!"

Krism's eye began to glow, and above the castle, a storm began to gather. A distant rumble of thunder vibrated through the ancient stones. The Queen smiled, "Just a little something to cover our retreat."

As the Queens and their guards approached one of the doors to a courtyard, a complement of policemen stepped out of a side passage, revolvers leveled and held steady. _I really don't want to do this to my own people... But it is necessary._

"Stand aside. I won't ask twice. You know I am your rightful Queen!"

"Not anymore!" One policewoman snarled, "You've done... _things_ that I don't even want to mention! You deserve nothing!" She spat at the Queen, the hatred evident in her face. "FIRE!"

 _There will be plenty of that._ The bullets cut through the hall, whistling as the echoing reports died away. The guards simply dropped to the floor, making smaller targets as they pulled out guns or ranged weapons. Minx reached for the purple spirits, and her body became a blur as she dodged around the projectiles, her reflexes enhanced to superhuman levels. Krism wasn't so lucky.

"NO!"

The bullet caught her in the crimson eye, a glowing spray of red arcing skyward. The Queen seemed to fall slowly, her other eye shut now, hair spreading outwards. _No no no... It can't be... Please..._ Even the policewoman stood transfixed, her gun still forwards, but her eyes were on the fallen figure. Krism seemed small, reduced to a sad, crumpled bundle on the ground.

"You... How can you call me the monster here?!" Minx stood alone, her guards taking beads on the enemy from their cover positions.. "You killed my wife in front of me." There was no warning before an inferno engulfed the hallway.

Minx turned back from the flames, walked slowly over to her wife, and collapsed beside her. _She's not dead, she can't be dead._ The purple-haired Queen tentatively reached out a hand and brushed her wife's cheek. Krism jerked upright, taking a huge, gasping breath. She turned to the shocked Minx, smiling at the sight of her beloved.

"You're alive! H-how...?"

Krism simply pointed at her completely untouched crimson eye. "Red spirits, and a little bit of mystery. I did something by instinct, something like an eyepatch to protect it. Not sure how it managed to have the strength to stop a bullet, but I figure that's where the eye came in. Pretty nom, right?"

Minx pulled Krism to her, hugging her tightly and rocking them back and forth. "Yes, that was very nom. Never scare me like that again, okay?"

"Okie! Let's move, there'll be more coming."

The group ran towards the doors, breaking out into the courtyard. It was empty, but for a well in the center. The stars that would have shone above were obscuring by the gathering thunderclouds, and as the group entered the outdoors, a crack of thunder and an arrow of lightning lanced down from the heavens.

==O==

Raz was hunting, stalking, seeking. The shadows in the castle were numerous, and growing greater as the torches were extinguished by attackers seeking to take enemies by surprise. _They can do what they like, it only helps me._ Each time he stepped out of the darkness, some unfortunate got a quick stab to the back, or a shadowy appendage over their mouth. But he was searching for something else.

"There you are." Through a small shadow, he could glimpse a courtyard with an old stone well, and Queen Minx standing, seeming to be surveying the area.

Raz stepped through the shadow, appearing behind the unsuspecting Queen. A hydra-like mass of shadows shot out, ensnaring the Queen and pulling her back, one appendage muffling her mouth before she could cry out. Her hands glowed with flames for an instant, but as the shadows flowed over, the fire was extinguished.

Raz spoke low. "You. I don't care if we get your wife, but at least we got you." The shadows whipped sideways, becoming an ebon blur as the Queen was launched across the courtyard, tumbling and rolling to a halt. "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU'VE DONE?" The shadow MOD seemed to collect himself, "No, of course you don't. I bet you don't even care."

The Queen struggled to her feet, a patch of shadow still over her mouth. A trickle of blood ran down her left temple. _Good, she's hurting._ Minx drew her sword, holding it in steady hands while her legs shook. _Should finish this now. Damn it, I will!_ He sprinted towards the figure before him, her purple hair indistinguishable from the brown, and her crown still somehow on her head. _End of the line, Minx._

"I don't know what you saw, or heard, but I've done nothing- WRONG!" It came out as a muffled series of syllables emanating from Minx's mouth, culminating in a shout. She stabbed forward, attempting to skewer Raz.

The MOD jumped, and then didn't come down. Pillars of shadow held him up, and as he raised a fist, a huge hand of darkness gripped Minx and pulled her up to his level. He leaned in, the visor of his helmet fogging slightly from her breath.

"You disgust me."

He simply kicked out, planting a boot directly into the Queen's chest. He smiled when he heard a crack, and then he released the shadows. Minx fell, straight into the well they were suspended above. There was a _thud_ and another _crack_ , almost simultaneously, and then silence.

"Good riddance."

==O==

Lightning and thunder continued to battle in the skies above as the tempest raged over the Capital. Rain spattered the windows, and Kaitlin Tannis was debating whether or not to brew a pot of coffee on the small stove before her door was practically beaten in with a deafening force. She rushed down the narrow flight of stairs before pausing, unsheathing the sabre at her hip before unbolting the door.

"Do you happen to have a fireplace? My wife and I are fucking _freezing_ out here, although I suppose it's my own fault."

Kaitlin opened the door for the familiar faces, and gestured for them to head upstairs. _Why are they_ here _?! Something must have happened..._ She re-sheathed the blade, picked a microscopic speck of dust off of her tunic, and straightened her hair. _Must look presentable at least._

"Can I offer you some coffee, food perhaps? We've got plenty in the cupboards. Oh! The fire! Of course, how could I forget... Apologies, I'm just a little... surprised." The Spymaster rushed over to the fireplace and set a fire, striking a match and setting up a merry blaze.

"Oh! Food sounds incredible right about now... Do you happen to have any medical experience?"

Kaitlin strode over and gently extricated the arm from the sling. "Looks to be a single, clean fracture. We'll just need a splint for it, and that can be improvised."

The group made themselves at home in the Spymaster's hideout, while the rain crashed against the building outside, vainly throwing itself at the bricks and mortar. On a hook by the fire, a cape dried, the crest of the Minx Family emblazoned on its purple expanse.

 _What did you think? If you liked it, please leave a review below, or give me your feedback via tumblr!_


	3. Fanning the Flames

_The flames of civil war are beginning to grow... and that makes this another chapter of action and BUILDUP! Dunno why I just said that... Enjoy!_

"Gabbi, there's someone here to see you. Please, you should drink tea or something. I'm worried about you." Raz stood in the corner, slightly behind the open door, his poise suggesting concern.

"No, my love, I'm fine. Please send them in." It had been a night of chaos, and the sun had barely risen. _Who's even up at this hour? After last night, I really don't feel like a meeting..._

The click of heels on the floor in the hall sounded before being muffled by carpeting. A woman with golden-blonde hair stepped through the doorway. The Mayor could tell by her gait that she was raised in the upper class, taught to carry herself with grace. Each step was carefully calculated to keep posture intact.

"Mira Farraham, at your service. I believe I may be able to help you track down the missing Queen. Krism, was it?"

At this, Gabbi's expression hardened. "And what makes you think I need your help?"

"Well, your big scary guard dog out there," Mira leaned closer, "Can't really see much through his helmet, you know? I've got... contacts."

The woman seemed oblivious to Gabbi's gaze. The Mayor's body was practically trembling with rage at the last insult, but Mira wasn't fazed. "What kind of... contacts?" Gabbi queried, the last through gritted teeth.

Mira laughed, a lighthearted tone that suggested they were old friends, discussing the latest gossip over coffee or tea. It only fueled the Mayor's anger. "Oh you know, old friends, business partners. You only have to say the word! I'd be happy to do my civic duty to hunt down those..." Mira shuddered, " _Awful_ Queens. I understand Minx is dead?"

"How did you-"

"Contacts, my dear Mayor... Contacts are everything. We will talk later." Seriousness entered her tone at the end, the joking, playful manner freezing over into an emotionless tone.

The now-cold woman stalked out of the room, stopping to bop Raz on the helmet. The shadows quivered, jumping briefly, before subsiding as Mira walked past them. The shadow mage seemed stunned, examining his hands as if looking for some flaw in the magic. And then, she was gone, and all was normal. _Normal as things can be when you've got civil war on the horizon,_ thought the Mayor.

==O==

Word spreads fast on the streets when a monarchy is deposed. Whispers flowed across the Capital, through backstreets and thoroughfares, and made it's way to the trains and docks. By that afternoon, the other Mayors had ceased communication with the Capital, likely meeting to discuss what would happen now that the nation's government was under the rule of it's Capital's Mayor. The government had fractured, and the Spymasters especially felt that they were teetering on a knife's edge.

"Your Majesties, are you sure we should move? My home is perfectly safe, and only the fellow Spymasters know the locations of every safe house..."

Michelle Minx stood, with her wife at her side. "We've obviously been framed, as your scouting of the Castle and the Royal Vaults have shown, so I don't believe we can assume that _anywhere_ is safe. Fight fire with fire, spycraft with spycraft. We'll root them out and expose them."

"If you say so... I suppose I'll do my best to help. I can contact people in government positions, determine their loyalty. We'll have to rebel against a rebellion!" Kaitlin laughed.

Fifteen minutes later found Tannis in a small park, sitting on a bench next to Ran Salfinger, one of her former colleagues, and now, possibly her enemy. Two small, burlap sacks sat on the planks between them, laden with food. Neither made a move to eat.

"Kaitlin."

"Ran."

"Why are you here?"

"You know damn well why. I'm confused, and I don't know who you're for or against. Enlighten me, would you?"

Ran burst into raucous laughter. It took nearly a minute for him to collect himself enough to speak again. "You... _haha_... think that I'm... _haha_... just gonna tell you?" He snorted, doubling over again in mirth.

Tannis simply picked up a lunch sack and emptied it over his head before walking away, before calling back, "Try being polite next time!" _He's probably with Mira... Asshole._

Upon returning to the safe house, still occupied by the Queens for the time being, the Spymaster set about the task of laying out the alliances and factions within the conflict so far. Maps were pulled out, as well as charts of family trees and record books dating back farther than people could possibly want to know, except in a situation like this.

"We have your Majesties, the monarchy and rightful owners of the throne. The Minx family has possessed it for years, and you have brought prosperity to us. However, new opposition has risen recently, namely in the form of Mira Farraham. I have no idea who she really is, but she seems bent on your downfall to the point of insanity. She's framed you, but done it well enough that the Mayor, our final faction in this conflict, has been forced to take action." Krism raised a hand at this point.

"Why can't we simply refute all the claims she's made about us? Wouldn't that solve all our problems?"

"That's the _problem_ when you're accused of treason. Everything you say could be a lie, so no one will hear you out. In addition, Mira has loyal servants in the new government, people who would ensure your case was never heard. We have to expose her, before she moves against Gabbi and destroys everything you've built."

==O==

Motes of dust danced lightly in shafts of sunlight that streamed in from the cafe windows. Lady Farraham reclined, ignoring the steaming cup of coffee in front of her, and instead focusing on the man seated across from her.

"Mira, you know that I know that they will know soon. I'm not putting my men at risk any longer, unless you plan to move in the next days. The Mayor is at her weakest now, waiting to insinuate yourself into her command will take far too long. We will have lost our edge!"

"Nevertheless, I shall move forward as I intended originally. Feron, you are still under my command." She cocked her head thoughtfully, "Although it _will_ be faster than I first thought. That damned shadow mage will cause problems aplenty."

"And if he were to disappear?"

Mira laughed, the cascade of pitches echoing in the room. Patrons turned to see where the noise had come from, and then turned back to their chats once they decided there was nothing to see. "You're welcome to waste men on him, but he will trust me in time. After all... I'll show him up at his own job!"

Feron growled, "What am I to do then!? Just wait for you to sit on velvet cushions and take tea with the Mayor?" That last sent spittle flying from his mouth, spattering over the table and Mira.

"Temper, temper." Mira daintily cleaned spit from her face with the cafe napkin. "It'll be a bit more than _that_."

"Fine! Do your business, but when this is all said and done, I will have _nothing_ to do with you any more." Feron stood, and made to leave, before glancing back at Mira, noticing her strange expression.

Mira was grinning. "When this is all said and done, you'll be dead. Did I say that out loud? Bye!"

Feron walked away, his face a pale ashen-gray.

==O==

 _Crack! Crack!_ Twin shots rang out, bullets whizzing down the hall towards their target. A hand was raised, and the deadly points of lead stopped abruptly. The Spymasters charged their former comrade, hollering battle cries as they raised their blades. Kaitlin Tannis deftly sidestepped the first swing, cutting sideways with a knife pulled from seemingly nowhere. Spymaster Shea fell, not a noise issuing from her lips as she collapsed to the floor. Meanwhile, Kaitlin's saber diverted the broadsword strike that would have split her skull. _They forget that we Spymasters had special areas of expertise. These two certainly weren't ones for combat..._

Surian, masked as always, strained to speak through gritted teeth. "They are corrupt! Eventually, you'll burn just like the rest of this damned country. We're building it anew, can't you see?!"

"I follow what I believe, and I don't believe that Mira can be trusted to save us from corruption. In fact, I don't even believe that we _are_ corrupt. How's that for ya?"

The two dueling combatants separated from their lethal dance for a moment. Being a spy requires you to read others, but it also gives you a chance to learn to hide your own signals. Whoever sees openings better will win in a duel of spies. The saber came up, and then struck downward like a viper. Surian raised the broadsword, prepared to repel this obviously desperate attack. He died with a look of shock on his face as the blade shivered down his, the bending edge and its point simply arcing down into his forehead.

"Some things just have a way of _curving_ in ways you wouldn't expect."

The safehouses wouldn't be checked as often now, given the recently decreased number of Spymasters. There was always time to learn, to insinuate, to weave traps that no one would see till they were snared without a hope of escape. Kaitlin grinned.

 _Hope you enjoyed! Leave a review or feedback via tumblr if you've got any comments for me!_


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